The present invention relates to a system and method for acquiring an equity position in a company through the purchase of qualifying products or services offered by the company, by accumulating credits toward the purchase of stock in the company based on the quantity of goods or services purchased.
The system and method of the present invention is unique in that it ultimately benefits everyone involved--the consumer, the manufacturer, the retailer, those in the stock market, and the participants and their children, who comprise the next generation of all of the forgoing. Participation for the purchasers encompasses virtually no more time, effort, or expense than cutting out a coupon. As participation in the program increases, more people are drawn into the stock market, generating new activity and bringing more resources into the market. From all economic indicators, the more activities that are performed in the stock market, and the more resources that are made available in and through the market, the tendency exists to generate a market boom. The stock market is and always has been the economic barometer regarding the prosperity, recession, or depression of the nation's economy. Consequently, the system and method of the present invention will contribute to the activities of the market, which in turn affects virtually everyone in this country and enhances the positive attributes of an over-all healthy national economy.
The system and method of the present invention affords people a shot at the "American Dream." Living the American Dream appeals to all Americans and evokes bettering oneself, possessing "a piece of the Rock" (which can translate into owning shares of stock), and feeling secure and optimistic about the future. Traditionally, there has been a reluctance on the part of many people to delve into the world of stock ownership. Some may think that matters relating to stock ownership are too complex, or that stocks are too risky or expensive for them to feel comfortable with stock purchases. Many people harbor other misconceptions of stock purchase and ownership. As a result, many people who would benefit from stock ownership never buy stocks. The system and method of the present invention would mitigate, if not eliminate altogether, this reluctance. Stock ownership will simply be an added benefit from participants' purchases of qualifying goods or services. It is contemplated that the qualifying goods or services would probably be purchased in any event, and might easily have been purchased from the designated manufacturers even without the added benefit of accumulating stock purchase credits. The accumulation of stock purchase credits would go on with only a modicum of effort by the participants; thus, they would be acquiring "a piece of the Rock" and helping to fulfill the American Dream virtually automatically as they go about their daily routines. Moreover, the system and method of the present invention may also serve to increase jobs. For instance, as sales increased from the consumer's purchase of specific participating products, the manufacturing facilities and personnel for that product line would increase at some point as well, as soon as excess capacity is fully utilized. Thus, not only would a participating individual enhance his own financial well-being and help to secure his future and that of his or her children, but the present invention also affords an opportunity for others, i.e., the people who produce the goods and services and those who depend upon them, to feel a direct sense of participation in the invention and to benefit from the enhanced economy that follows along with its growth.
Another significant aspect of the present invention is its potentially great beneficial impact on the education of our youth. With the skyrocketing costs of higher education, many families today cannot afford to send their children to college. Many of those families comprise students who are otherwise deserving of a college education. Since a loan or similar financial aid is not always available, and not all students can qualify for scholarships, many deserving students are thus prevented from obtaining a college degree. If the parents of such students are participants in the system and method of the present invention, however, and are thus stockholders, they can sell the shares of stock they have accumulated over the years when funds are needed for college. As a result, there will be more opportunities for such students to enter college. As educational opportunities are improved and enhanced, the more productive a society becomes. The system and method of the present invention thus affords a new dimension of choices regarding one's future.
Likewise, for some students in the inner city, for example, whose future might seem bleak with minimal opportunities to "break the cycle of poverty," the present invention would afford individuals with a motivation and a simple means to acquire some of the funds needed for higher education. Thus, participating individuals and their families are afforded the opportunity to upgrade their economic situation and open doors that might not otherwise be opened to them. Sociologists and educators have long noted that when hope exists, there is less demand for immediate gratification (which might entail drugs, crime, etc.). Instead, there is a greater feeling of self-worth and self-esteem.
In sum, the present invention will be available to all Americans to share in the American Dream and not only better themselves and their families, but our nation and society as a whole, and in turn, the world in which we live.